Joints rusty with experience tucked under his belt, but loosely, to stomach more Parliamentary stupidity, Churchill warned against Ghandi and Hitler: Rouse yourself from pacifism, else you destroy the Empire! But yesterday is far away. Ours is a new American century. We ignore the dust of history, and banish our collective asthma with the fumes of medical marijuana. Still, it can make us sneeze. So we Pledge it off the school desks of children we mollycoddle unconcerned. We have hope that quiets Winston’s warnings. Civilized, we open wide the golden door and say, “Come in, and welcome. Steal whatever you like.” copyright 2015

A Debt to Public Radio I Cannot Repay

I was moved to take action by too soothing voices that drove me out of California. Drove me out of my mind. Drove me to thrash my radio, an inanimate object that never did me wrong. Serene, pacified inanity drove me to insanity. After I unplugged it with a yank that dislodged the socket faceplate, I smashed my mini boom-box with a hard rubber ball peen hammer, and did twenty jumping-jacks on the shards. An action-reaction exchange, my doctor said, that saved me from a myocardial infarction. copyright 2015

Longing For The Prince

Blood thirst. Primal hunger. Barbarism hides inside. Lust for rightness quick and sure. But we’ve demurred. We call our licensed, Senate confirmed champions our superheroes while paying lip service to due process in our systems: bureaucracies, small claims, T.V. judges and Supreme courts. With one hand we pat the backs of diligent D.A.s and lawless lawyers, while we kick our collective conscience with obedient jackboots. The man who blinds another’s eyes does not forfeit his-- he’s given another to complete the set, to restore him to his loved ones. The man who break another’s tooth gets another’s molars too. Rejoicing that we’ve been merciful, the wronged look on, quieted with platitudes, while Machiavelli whispers, ”Unfair. Unfair.”copyright 2015

Some of the uneducated and ignorant people try to deny from the importance and value of the education by saying that like the uneducated people, educated people are also busy in illegal activities. Education always gives us the light of life.

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Gary Priest writes poetry and short fiction, both of which have been published online and in print. He lives at the end of a dead-end road, which may explain everything. https://garypriestwriter.wordpress.com/N.J. Crosskeyis an aspiring author and mum of two from the UK, she is currently working on her début novel Keepers.

Phylinda Moore released her book of poems Herculaneum’s Fortune August 7, 2014 from Anaphora Literary Press. Visit phylindamoore.com.

Erin Popelka spent the last few years exploring from Washington, DC to McMurdo Station, Antarctica before settling in Oregon. Website www.erinpopelka.com